Creators of the hit television series “Ainak wala jin” from the mid-1990s announced on Wednesday their for another series later this year. The show, of which the hallmark was the depiction of wizardry and magic in a light and comic manner, was aired between 1993 and 1996 to an audience that ranged from children to youth, as well as older viewers.

Characters such as “Zakoota”, “Bill Batouri” and “Nastoor” became household names and their dialogues are still remembered by die-hard fans. It is fair to say that the series turned into a pop cult of sorts for a generation of Pakistanis.

The news of the series’ revival has been well-received amongst the fans and judging from the reaction we have received on Dawn.com, people based in Pakistan and abroad are eagerly awaiting its return to the television screens. Questions, however, have also been raised on the need of creating new television shows that provide the same level of entertainment and recreation to viewers, instead of turning back to shows from the past.

Pakistan’s television industry, it is being said, has failed to live up to the standards it set from the late 1970s up until the early 2000s. While dramas and television shows have increased manifold with the sprouting of dozens of private television channels, the quality of programming, viewers insist, has dropped drastically. Television enthusiasts also insist that a new crop of actors have failed to live up to the standards of the earlier generations.

Despite the airing of hundreds of new televisions on dozens of new channels, when classic dramas and sitcoms are aired on cable television networks despite grainy prints and pirated DVDs, they still manage to outdo the newer, more glamorous offerings.

Should Pakistani television channels go back to hits of yesteryears in order to attract viewers?

Can the television shows being produced now match the standards set by the early years of programming?

Do you want to see new faces on your television screens or would you be happy to have the same actors play the same roles?